20 Lemon and Citrus Desserts to Make Throughout the Winter

Citrus desserts can brighten up a long winter. Citrus fruits are the star of so many great desserts because they provide the perfect balance of sweet and tart. These citrus dessert recipes take the bright flavors of orange, lemon, and lime and turn them into crowd pleasing favorites. Below you'll find Southern Lemon Pound Cake, Blood Orange Curd Tart, Key Lime Pie, and Lemon Poppy Seed Scones to name a few of my favorites.

While Eureka Lemons and Persian Limes are available year round, Meyer Lemons, Bergamot Oranges, and Blood Oranges to name a few are only available through the winter and early spring. So don't delay and dive into the amazing desserts. And I hope some of them become your new favorites.

Southern Lemon Pound Cake

You're going to love this recipe for homemade Lemon Pound Cake. This is the recipe that my aunt taught to me and her cake is a family favorite. With its moist crumb, bright lemon flavor, and tart lemon glaze this cake will impress your family and friends. I not only share a full proof method for this cake but I also share the tips and tricks I learned from my aunt for the best lemon pound cake ever.

Soft and Chewy Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Made with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice, this Lemon Poppy Seed Cookie recipe produces soft cookies that are full of delicious lemon flavor with a satisfying crunch from the poppy seeds. This recipe is perfect for lemon lovers. The cookie dough comes together in minutes, and once it has chilled for at least an hour, you can have fresh baked lemon cookies in less than 15 minutes.

Authentic Key Lime Pie

This easy and authentic Key Lime Pie is tart, sweet, and incredibly easy to make. A nutty graham cracker macadamia nut crust is filled with a tart creamy key lime filling made with just four ingredients. It's absolutely delicious and perfect for every day or a special occasion.

Meyer Lemon Tart

This Meyer Lemon Tart is tart and buttery at the same time. Creamy, fruity Meyer lemon curd is combined with a nutty sweet crust for an amazingly tasty dessert. A lemon tart is one of the versatile desserts in that it goes with almost any meal. It's simple to make and perfect for every day or any special occasion, like Mother's Day.

Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake

There aren't enough words to describe how delicious this Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake is. Meyer lemons are a combination of orange and lemon and have a unique combination of tart and sweet The brown sugar and butter combined with the lemons create a topping that tastes like lemonade, and the sharp citrus goes perfectly with the sweet spiced cake.

Homemade Lemon Curd

This homemade Lemon Curd is deliciously sweet, tangy, creamy, and smooth, with a tart lemon flavor. Lemon curd stands on its own. It is perfect as a simple topping for scones, crepes, pound cake, or you can use it for more stunning desserts like a Lemon Tart or a filling for a layer cake.

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Made with fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest this Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cake recipe is a wonderful combination of lemon cake filled with poppy seeds and topped with not one, but two lemon glazes for a triple lemon punch. If you love lemons, then you'll love this cake.

Blood Orange Pound Cake

Welcome to the world of vibrant citrus flavor and color with this amazing Blood Orange Pound Cake.  This moist pound cake recipe is a fun twist on the traditional pound cake and is perfect for anyone who loves blood oranges and their unique taste.  With its moist crumb, and bright fruity citrusy orange flavor, this pound cake is sure to become your new go-to recipe for special occasions or simply as a treat to enjoy with your coffee.

Homemade Lemon Soda

There aren't enough words to describe how delicious this Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake is. Meyer lemons are a combination of orange and lemon and have a unique combination of tart and sweet The brown sugar and butter combined with the lemons create a topping that tastes like lemonade, and the sharp citrus goes perfectly with the sweet spiced cake.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

If you're a lemon lover, you'll love these citrusy Lemon Shortbread Cookies. My recipe is a delicious combination of lemon zest, lemon juice and buttery shortbread cookie dough. These lemon cookies require less than 20 minutes of hands-on time before they're baked to perfection. The final cookies are tender with the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture that make them addictive.

Clementine Cake with Whole Clementines

If you love oranges you'll love this Clementine Cake recipe. Whole clementines are pureed and added to the cake batter. The final cake is moist, tender, and bursting with a delicious citrusy flavor.

Blood Orange Curd Tart

Blood orange season is short so as soon as you see them grab them and make this Blood Orange Curd Tart recipe. Tart and fruity blood orange curd is poured into a buttery press-in cookie crust and then topped with whipped cream, candied blood oranges, and kumquats. The tart is perfect for citrus season and will impress your guests.

Homemade Lime Curd

Lime curd is a great tasting variation of the traditional lemon curd. This lime curd is creamy, thick, and tart and made with fresh limes. And the best part - it takes less than 30 minutes to make. See the list at the end of this post for links to the other fruit curd recipes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Bursting with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice and kissed with a tangy lemon glaze these Lemon Poppy Seed Scones offer a burst of citrusy flavor. They come out of the oven with soft, moist, flaky interiors flecked with a generous amount of poppy seeds and crisp, golden edges. Made by hand in just 20 minutes with a few simple ingredients including butter and heavy cream, these scones are the perfect way to start your day and treat yourself to a refreshing and easy indulgence.

Moist Lemon Cupcakes

Made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, this Lemon Cupcake recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a soft and moist crumb that melts in your mouth. The tangy lemon flavor is paired with a creamy, buttery, and tart lemon buttercream frosting, making these the perfect lemon cupcakes.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

This Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookie recipe contains all the irresistible flavors of fall. These cookies are a variation on my shortbread cookie recipe. They're a delicious combination of sweet and tart, perfectly balancing the tanginess of cranberries with the zesty sweetness of oranges, all encased in a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust. Baked to golden perfection, the edges are delicately crisp from the turbinado sugar, and their centers are soft and tender. 

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

You're going to love this recipe for homemade Lemon Pound Cake. This is the recipe that my aunt taught to me and her cake is a family favorite. With its moist crumb, bright lemon flavor, and tart lemon glaze this cake will impress your family and friends. I not only share a full proof method for this cake but I also share the tips and tricks I learned from my aunt for the best lemon pound cake ever.

Grapefruit Curd Tart with Poppy Seed Crust

This delicious Grapefruit Curd Tart starts with a lemon poppy seed crust that is then filled with a creamy grapefruit curd made with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. The final tart is topped with fresh grapefruit, raspberries, and a dollop of whipped cream. Read on to learn how to make this delicious dessert.

Cranberry Orange Mini Bundt Cakes

These delicious mini Cranberry Orange Bundt Cakes are a delicious combination of fresh cranberries, orange zest, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. They're perfect for the holidays and entertaining. These mini bundts make great single servings and are even tastier when served with whipped creme fraiche.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

Citrus and chocolate are such a delicious combination that I decided to make these Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies for citrus season. Chopped chocolate is combined with an orange shortbread dough and then rolled in demerara sugar for a crunchy edge. They're buttery and chocolatey with a burst of delicious orange flavor. They're easy to make and perfect for when you want something a little sweet.

Did You Make Any of These Recipes

Please leave a comment and a rating below and let me know what you thought of the recipe you tried or of this citrus season round up.

Snap a picture of your treat and tag me on Instagram @bakesbybrownsugar so that I can follow along.

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